The clinician's ability to identify caries risk children without saliva tests was studied in five health care centers. 77 examiners predicted, after the annual check-up and treatment, whether, during the following 12 months, the child would develop new dentinal caries lesions to be filled. 7917 children aged 5-16 yr were included. Only information routinely available at clinical examinations was used. In general, the overall sensitivity was 44% and specificity 90%. Some clinicians were able to identify the caries risk children with high sensitivity and specificity figures.